Science Vanguard for 1.4.0

[DaloLorn]

Copying and slightly refining some of my old ABEM ideas:

Name: Nejjul'har Description: The scientists of the Vanguard, adept at using exotic weapons and gadgets to defeat their enemies. Focus: Gravity Manipulation, Science, Damage Avoidance

Strengths:

• Exotic particle and gravitic weapons are extremely effective against the heavily-armored ships seen in the early game
• Starts with Graviton Condenser and Stellar Shielding researched at the beginning of the game
• Can heal stars/planets with a special subsystem (not sure if it should be researchable or a starting unlock)
• Superior Tractor Beam technology allows movement of allied planets
• Portal Stabilizers and megaconstructions require less Labor to construct, reflecting their mastery of exotic particle manipulation
• Certain gravitic weapons can make it difficult for enemy ships to close to firing range
• Metallurgy equivalent improves Energy output of Factories

Weaknesses:

• Gravitic weapons require a dense target to deal maximum damage, so light armor or good shielding will render them fairly ineffective
• Cannot improve Factory Labor output; starship Labor costs can be moderately reduced by using Energy, but this becomes inefficient as the game progresses due to the limits of Energy storage
• Due to low Labor output, ships are either fragile or impractical to construct

[DaloLorn]

Subsystem Name: Graviton Pulse Condenser Replaces: Railgun, Railgun Battery Role: Mid-range weapon

Characteristics:

• Very low damage output
• Deals more damage to dense objects
• Depending on firing mode, has a chance to either pull or push the target on impact (this will make heavy use of Darloth's effector-switching trick, as well as an ability toggle)

[DaloLorn]

Subsystem Name: Gravitic Enhancer Replaces: Laser Role: Short-range weapon

Characteristics:

• Low damage output
• Deals more damage to dense objects
• Deals damage from all directions simultaneously - 'crushing the opponent under their own weight'
• Significantly more effective than the Graviton Pulse Condenser, but has a dangerously short range and cannot affect the enemy's position

[DaloLorn]

Subsystem Name: Singularity Torpedo Replaces: Torpedo Launcher Role: Extremely long-range weapon, AoE weapon

Characteristics:

• Massive damage output, not affected by enemy's mass
• Rapid damage dropoff from epicenter; may want to investigate DOF nukes
• Pulls affected targets inward like the Ancient Gravitational Collapser
• Extreme damage and slow cooldown make it ideal against individual Destroyers and other lone flagships, but decoys or swarms of support ships may render it ineffective
• Does not target support ships or civilians by default.

[DaloLorn]

Subsystem Name: Transphasic Missile Replaces: Missile Launcher Role: Long-range weapon

Characteristics:

• Moderate damage output (a conventional missile would qualify as 'high' damage)
• Bypasses most shields, and has 50% bleedthrough against forcefields
• Can be completely negated by damage resistance

[DaloLorn]

Subsystem Name: Gravitic Induction Drone Replaces: Drone Launcher Role: Short-range, quasi-AoE weapon

Characteristics:

• Low damage output
• Deals more damage to dense objects
• Each impact damages a randomly selected circular patch of 7 hexes (blank spaces are not damaged, the center of the patch takes the most damage). Damage is severely reduced by shields.

[DaloLorn]

Subsystem Name: Repulsive Plasma Thrower Replaces: Plasma Thrower Role: Mid-range weapon, crowd control device

Characteristics:

• Very low damage output, dealt over a period of 10-20 seconds
• Each tick of the DoT pushes the target in the same direction the projectile was moving in, relative to the ship. (For instance, a ship that takes a frontal hit will keep being pushed backwards until the DoT expires.)